


Layers

by Sulana



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Chat Noir is great as ever, F/M, Marinette notices things, Season 3 Spoilers, if anyone is concerned about that
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-10-01 22:36:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17252666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sulana/pseuds/Sulana
Summary: Marinette begins to pay closer attention to Chat Noir and takes note of things she's noticing about her kitty in light of recent events.[ WARNING: S3 spoilers ahead! ]





	Layers

**Author's Note:**

> shout out to the lovely [sheanio](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sheanio) (aka val!) for being my beta and polishing this up! you're truly rock n roll.

Sleepless nights have often been plaguing Marinette’s mind with the memories of the whole mess of awkwardly trying to regain control of the situation she recklessly threw herself and Chat Noir into not long ago.

It was dumb of her, she knows, but in complete panic brought on by the possibility of him piecing together her secret identity, Marinette felt she had no other options. It was unfortunate that her parents were there and Tom responded as… _intensely_ as he did, though the superheroine knows it only came from a place of utmost love and devotion for his only daughter.

With the luck of the Ladybug miraculous on her side, Marinette managed to pass through the trials of her troubled father’s thorny labyrinth and found the akumatized object, the very rose that Chat Noir brought for her as he intended to reject her that evening. Upon its release, she quickly transformed into Ladybug after finally being reunited with Tikki and worked her miraculous magic to restore her home and city.

More importantly, she saved Tom.

Truth be told, she felt awful the whole time that she wasn’t able to transform right away to assist Chat Noir with Tom. Not that she would have felt comfortable combating him in the first place, as is the case with most akumatized victims she’s close with, but nonetheless it left her feeling helpless.

Knowing that Chat Noir was out there the whole time, doing his best to fight for her freedom despite the fact it was her fault any of this happened in the first place… It really made her start to think.

_x_

 

They’ve been working alongside each other for well over a year now. It’s always been incredibly important to Marinette that she and Chat Noir keep their civilian lives as separate as possible from their superhero personas; while Chat has (begrudgingly) respected this for the most part, of course, that doesn’t stop the occasional thing from slipping through the cracks.

It’s never anything intentional. When you work as close alongside someone for so long like Ladybug and Chat Noir, you’re bound to notice little things eventually. While Marinette’s heart ultimately beats for Adrien Agreste, she can’t help but start to actually see the layers that make Chat Noir.

Although it really didn’t take her father becoming Weredad to see it clearly, Marinette does have to admit Chat Noir is extremely selfless when it comes down to saving those he cares about from harm and protecting the city.

Trapezing about the rooftops of Paris with her partner and protecting its citizens from the looming darkness of Hawk Moth was all part of the job. Marinette is scared, always scared, that one day her luck will run out and it will put her and Chat Noir in danger.

Especially with how many times Chat has gotten himself caught in the crossfire of an attack for Ladybug’s sake. Marinette can’t even count the number on her fingers anymore, when the impending doom and defeat she’s felt was immediately swept away and replaced by fear, _pure terror_ , when Chat’s cat-like reflexes managed to get him to Ladybug just in the nick of time to save her from falling victim time and time again. No one in her life has gone above and beyond to rescue her each and every instance danger came her way, without so much as batting an eye or questioning it.

Timebreaker’s freezing touch. Dark Cupid’s cursed arrow. Chameleon’s kiss. Weredad’s protectiveness and everything in between, Chat has never hesitated when it comes to stepping in and protecting her because she _knows_ that’s what he feels is right. Sometimes his affections for Ladybug annoy her, and she’s uncomfortable by the pedestal he places her on. At the end of the day it truly is that unconditional love for her and his relentless bravery that has saved not only her life but also the fate of Paris.

To her, Chat Noir was outstanding.

_x_

And here’s Marinette, finding herself sleepless yet again.

It’s a Saturday night, and she has nothing going on in the morning, so what better thing is there to do other than transform into her spotted alter ego and dance across rooftops with ease to one of her favorite spots in the city for a breath of fresh air?

Saturdays aren’t a typical patrol night, and even if it was, it was way out of their usual time frame. Daring to check, her yo-yo read the time _00:47_ , blinking back at her almost mockingly for still being awake.

With a huff, she hitched the device back to her belt and stared out into the cityscape.

Paris is beautiful, and there was no other place she could be more proud call her home, but Marinette would be lying if she said she sometimes didn’t wish she lived less densely populated area. Having bright lights constantly keeping the city well lit into the hours of the evening, stars were hardly ever visible in the night sky.

The soft tap of feet dropping on a beam behind her ripped Marinette from her thoughts, she sprung to her feet, hand on her yo-yo and Ladybug mode in full force. Right away, her guard dropped, and her look of hostility was replaced by warm comfort.

“Chaton?” She leaped over to Chat Noir with a brow raised, hand on her hip. “What brings you out so late?”

“Took a little _cat nap_ earlier and couldn’t sleep, My Lady. I was starting to feel a little stir crazy.” Ladybug rolled her eyes. His eyes narrowed, mirroring her arched brow. “But I could ask the same of you.”

“You caught me, kitty,” Ladybug chuckled, carefully lowering herself to sit along the edge of the beam. She pats the spot beside her and Chat Noir happily obliged. “No particular reason. I just haven’t been able to sleep well lately.”

Concern for his lady swept over Chat Noir.

He looked closer at Ladybug’s feature’s, illuminated by the moonlight. Freckles dusted below her mask just barely to her cheeks and nose, the absent smile she wore looking out to the city once more only making her look even more angelic against the glow of the moon.

Before he could question her further, Ladybug began speaking.

“Say, Chaton,” she mused, her gaze staying forward. “Do you remember the first day we met?”

“How could I _paw-sibly_ forget?” Chat placed a dramatic hand over his chest to feign offense. “It was only the best day of my life! Not only was I given a chance at living a whole new life I only ever dreamed of, but I had the absolute honor-” He scooped her hand into his, placing a kiss to her knuckles. “-of getting to be the partner of an incredible girl like you.”

“Silly kitty,” Ladybug shook her head, _tsking_ at him as she drew her hand back. “I was thinking more along the lines of how we met.”

“You mean when you tangled me up in your yo-yo and left me dangling on the light post?”

“I was such a nervous wreck then. From the moment I received my Miraculous…” Ladybug bit her lip, gently running her fingertips along the spotted studs she wore. “I had no confidence whatsoever. What could anyone have seen in such a clumsy girl like me?”

Chat’s heart clenched in his chest.

Hearing Ladybug talk down about herself like this… He had heard it before, she voiced these same concerns the very first instance they met.

After all this time that’s passed, knowing so much more about Ladybug and what she’s capable of, it hurt to listen to.

“But then there was you,” she continued, her smile growing fonder as she recalled the days’ events. “I remember thinking to myself, ‘Who is this guy and how is he so confident about everything?’ You seemed so sure of yourself while I was stuck wallowing in self-doubt and pity. Compared to me back then, you were so _brave_ , Chat. You still are, and it astounds me.”

He was hooked on her every word.

Finally, she turned to face him. “If it weren’t for you, I probably wouldn’t be here right now,” Ladybug admit.

Chat prayed to whatever God was out there listening that she didn’t notice the electricity he swore he felt coursing through his veins.

“Don’t sell yourself short now,” he quickly insisted. Chat’s tone was more serious than before, posture straightened, and his eyes focused on Ladybug. “Just like me, you were chosen for a reason. I was scared back then too, but I had faith in you from the moment we met. So far, you haven’t proven me wrong.”

“Such a flatterer as always,” she smiled, though she wasn’t one to talk. “I mean it though, Chat Noir. You never think twice when it comes to protecting m- P-Paris,” Ladybug flushed as caught herself, not wanting to make this entirely about her. “It’s even cost you your life at one point.”

Thinking back to the day Alix got akumatized makes her shudder.

The timeline where Chat’s energy was snatched ended up ultimately erased and forgotten by everyone, Chat included. The only reason he knows is from a night of vulnerability when Ladybug broke down and divulged in the details, watery and fearful of his wellbeing.

“Paris can’t afford to lose you,” he said, gaze now turning up toward the moon. “I can’t afford to lose you, Ladybug. Maybe it’s selfish of me, but I do what I do not only for the sake of the city but for my own as well.” His voice dropped to a hushed whisper, nearing the edge of breaking. “I need you.”

_I need you, too. Say it, you coward. You practically have already, and you know he knows, but just say it-_

“…Thank you, Chaton.”

Ladybug slowly rose to her feet, deciding to bury the conversation from there. She held out a hand to Chat Noir to help him up, which he happily accepted.

The atmosphere had gotten so thick, it was beginning to feel like she was about to suffocate at any moment. She hadn’t meant to word vomit on Chat like she did- she never anticipated her partner coming out and stumbling upon her like he did.

Though it did feel pretty good to have gotten that off her chest.

“I feel much better now after talking it out, but I should probably head back home now to get some rest,” she smiled. Her grip on Chat’s hand remained, red-clad fingers clasped delicately around it. He hummed, giving it a little squeeze. She squeezed it right back.

Before letting go, Ladybug leaned in and pressed a brief peck to his cheek. “I need you, too. Don’t ever think otherwise.”

Just as quick as she was there, her yo-yo was out, and she was zipping across the rooftops of Paris back home. All Chat could do was lift a hand to his cheek, claws grazing the spot where he swore electrical currents sparked just moments ago. A smile grew wide on his face as he watched Ladybug’s form grow farther and farther away, eventually disappearing into the night.

Landing upon her balcony minutes later, Marinette called off her transformation as she climbed down the hatch into her bedroom and plopped down onto her bed with a big yawn.

Tikki zipped around her Chosen, nuzzling against her cheek.

“Do you think you’re going to be able to sleep tonight, Marinette?”

Marinette yawned again. “Yeah… I think so, Tikki. I think…”

Without finishing her thought, Marinette drifted into one of the most peaceful rests she’s had in weeks.

**Author's Note:**

> i haven't written/published anything in a hot minute so excuse the rust. i've had this idea rattling around in my brain since i watched weredad and this first chapter is basically just to get a feel for things as i'm working out the rest.
> 
> i'll try to update this roughly every week or week and a half. stay tuned! xoxo -sulana


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